Process and apparatus for producing low boiling point hydrocarbon oils



DUBBS PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING LOW kwi RS \N QN BOILING POINT HYDROCARBON OILS Original Filed May 1920 u w n nn fl/ rv June 23, 1931.

Patented June 23,1931

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CARBON r. 10113138, or WILMEITE; ILLINOIS, AssIGNoBJro UNIVERSAL OIL movers comm, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION or sourn DAKOTA.

PROCESS AND AiPPARATUS FOR PRODUCING LOW BOILING POINT HYDROGARIBON OILS Original application-filed. May 17, 1920, Serial No. 381,922. Renewed April 24, 1928. Divided and. this application filed May 5, 1923. Serial No. 636,860.

7 My invention relates to improvements in a process and a paratus for producing lower boiling point hydrocarbon oils and refers more particularly to a process in which the 5-character of the distillate is controlled by regulation of the dephlegmating temperature.

This application is a division of an original application filed by me under date of May 17, 1920, Serial N 0. 381,922.

Among its salient objects are to provide a process 1n which the temperature of the dephlegmating or condensing agent is controlled so that either a large or a small percentage of the vapors released from the oil body are condensed in passing therethrough;

to provide a process in which the temperature of the successive stages of dephlegmation may be varied so that the oil vapors may be treated to produce the greatest possible yield, a more uniform distillate, or so treated that any'particular cut or fraction may be extracted from the oil without necessitating the redistilling of the distillate procured; to'provide an apparatus for the carrying out of this process and in general to provide an apparatus of the character referred to. I

' The single figure is a diagrammatic side so elevation of the apparatus with parts in section.

In cracking h drocarbon oils, after the disintegration of the molecules in the .reacting chamber, the distillate which is produced by the condensation of these oil vapors is produced in an inverse relation to the way in which they are cracked, that is, with the heating of the oil, the low boiling point hydrocarbons will first be released from the oil body, subsequently as the temperature is increased, thehigher boiling point hydrocarbons will come 011?. So, with the cooling of the Vapors, the high boiling point oils will first be condensed and subsequently as the temperature is decreased, low boiling point vapors will be liquefied. From this it will be seen that the method and means of cooling or condensing the oil vapors is of as much importance as the heating there g of. By the controlling of the temperature at which the condensation takes place, the character of the distillate may be controlled. The controlling of this condensing temperature is the .most important function of the following process 7 Referring in detail to the drawing, the raw oil is introduced from any convenient source to the dephlegmator 1 through the inlet pipe 2, which is regulated by valve 3. The raw oil, together with condensate condensed in the dephleg'mator, collects in vertically arranged pools 4, 5 and 6, the levels of which'are controlled by standpipes 6a, which convey the surplus oil from each pool to the pool below. The oil, after dephlegmating the oil vapors which bubble up through the pools by means of risers 7 collects in the bottom of the dephlegmator and is drawn off through the line 8, which is controlled by valve 9. This oil containing what condensate it may collect in dephlegmatingthe vapors is charged to the heating coils 10 through the pump 11, charging pipe 12, controlled by valve 13. The heating coils are mounted above the furnace let, which is heated by any suitable means (not shown). The heated oil, after being raised toa cracking temperature, is directed to the reacting or vapor chamber,15 through the pipe 16 which is regulated by a valve at 17.

One or more of these vapor chambers may be interposed in the system according to the quantity of oil to be treated. The vapor chamber shown at 15 is equipped with yrometer 18, pressure gauge 19 and remova 1e cleaning plates 20. A residuum drawotf 21 controlled by valve 22, furnishes a means for removing the heavy residual oil, together with the precipitated carbon collecting in the vapor chamber. The vapors released from the oil body are directed through the risers 23 to the line 24 by means of which they are introduced to the bottom of the dephlegmator. As explained, the vapors rise through the successive pools through the risers 7 bubbling up through the raw oil in each pool and what vapors are not condensed in these successive pools are drawn ofi' through the gooseneck 25, which is controlled by valve 26. These vapors, 100

may be positively controlled.

after being subjected to the cooling efiect of the water condenser 27, collect as a distillate in the receiving tank 28. This receiving tank is equipped with pressure gauge 5 29, liquid level gauge 30, liquid drawofi' 31., controlled by a valve 32, and a gas relief pipe 33, controlled by valve 34. The water condenser 27 is; fitted with a w ter i I 35 andan outlet pipe 36.

If it is desired to'decrease the temperature of the liquid oil contained in either of the pools 4, 5 and 6, the same may be drawn off through the lines 37 and forced by the pumps 38 through coils in tanks 39 which are cooled by water, from which it is directed back to the respective pools by means of the return lines 40. It'is essential thatvthe valves 41 and 42 are open during this local circulation and that the valves 43 and 44 are closed. If, on the other hand, for any reason it is more desirable to raise the temperature in any one of these pools, the liquid oil is similarly drawn ofi through the pipes 37 and directed down through the lines 37a, and circulated by means of the pumps 45 through the heating coils-n46 mounted above suitable heating means 47 after which l the heated oil proceeds back to-the respective pools through the return lines 48 and.

t pipe '40 boiling point, h drocarbons will be condensed therein, t e li hter or more volatile oil vapors bubbling t rough the successive pools and finally condensed as low boiling point distillate in the receiver 28. Thus, by

. 15 controlling the temperature of the dephlegmating agent, the quantity and character of the distillate finally collected in the receiver I claim as my invention:

5o 1. A process for producing low boiling point hydrocarbon oils, consisting in cracking the oil in heating. and reacting zones, dephle ating the oil vapors by intimately intermmgling them with the incoming raw oil in a series of pools, increasing the temperature of the oil in the respective pools to decrease the condensation therein by 10- cally circulating the same fromsaid pools through heatingmeans and back to the reso-spective pools. I

V 2. A process for producing low'boiling point hydrocarbon oils, consisting in cracking the oil in heating and reaction zones, dephleg'mating the oil vapors by intimately t5 intermingling them with the incoming raw through a short connecting sectionpf the oil in a lurality of pools, separately controlling the condensation in the dephlegmating stage by increasing the temperature of the oil in the respective pools by local extraneous circulations from said pools through heating means and back to the respective pools. 3. A process for producing low boiling point hydrocarbon oils, consisting in cracking the oil in heating and reacting zones, dephlegmating the oil vapors by causing the same to bubble up through successive pools of the incoming raw oil, controlling the temperature of the raw oil in the pools bylocally circulating the oil from the respective so pools separately through extraneous heaters and back to the respective pools.

4. In an apparatus for producing low boiling point hydrocarbon oils, the combination with means for cracking the oil, of a dephlegmator comprising a plurality of superimposed compartments in which the incomingraw oil collects in pools, means for causing the cracked vapors to bubble through the oil in said pools, separate heating means connected with the respective pools for raising the temperature of the oil therein, and means for locally circulating the raw oil from said pools through said heating means and back to the respective pools.

CARBON P. DUBBS. 

